On the Line
by Untaken
Summary: The reality of the danger he brought to Jasmine had never truly hit Lief until an attempt on her life threatens their relationship.
1. The Merchant

**Disclaimer:** All recognizable characters are the creative property of Emily Rodda.

The sun shone brightly on the streets of Del, basking every pedestrian with its warmth. The people scrambled to and fro like bees, enjoying the social aspect that was Market Day. Del's city center in particular was bustling with free-form activity, with vendors peddling their wares and curious customers examining the thousands of stalls that lined the streets.

Lief had always been fond of the city's busiest day of the week, and the young King of Deltora often liked to roam around the market center when given free time. The hectic, but friendly ambience that was always present in the air brought a smile to his face; Deltora was at last truly flourishing after having all but fully recovered from the stranglehold of the Four Sisters.

At times, when he asked charmingly enough, as he had done today, Jasmine would accompany him on his strolls through the marketplace. The people of Del were always delighted to see their king and queen mingle with them, and were by now quite used to seeing the two wandering around the city together. It especially brought great amusement and warmth to the hearts of the general public when they saw their gallant and valiant king laugh aloud as he chased his equally joyful young wife and her ever-faithful animal companions through the streets.

Today, however, the boy had decided he would take Jasmine to have luncheon with him in the market. The Palace Cooks had been working particularly hard lately, rushing to meet the demands of the various state meetings and feasts in which Lief had entertained dignitaries from foreign lands beyond Deltora's borders.

He had felt incredibly guilty afterwards and later allowed the exhausted cooks a much deserved break for today, proclaiming he would personally take care of all the meals for the day. Lief's mother, Sharn, upon hearing this potentially disastrous declaration, quickly stepped in and announced _she_ would prepare the day's meals instead, and thanked the cooks for their inspiring work ethics. The image of Lief's pout afterwards had forever imprinted itself in the memory of his wife, who had snickered uncontrollably at the scene.

The young king smiled softly, as he held Jasmine's hand and walked through an especially busy aisle of market stalls; the Belt of Deltora glistened proudly around his waist in the afternoon sun. The reopening of Deltora's borders was truly beneficial to its growing economy; Lief noticed a number of unfamiliar stalls that had slowly begun appearing shortly after the Full Moon Meeting several months ago in which he had established Deltora's position in foreign trade. _They must be peddlers from across the Silver Sea_, he reasoned with a grin, _here to sell their merchandise to Del_.

Lief glanced down at his queen trekking beside him, admiring the expression of curiosity and fascination shining in her bright, green eyes. She gazed in wonder at the multitude of new stalls that littered the streets, her long black hair whipping around her face as she looked from one side of the market to the other. Even Filli, the small furry animal who resided on her shoulder, seemed overwhelmed by the loud voices and stunning colors of the city. Kree flew overhead, keeping a diligent watch over the three of them, while still enjoying the freshness of the afternoon air.

"If you see something you would like to eat, Jasmine, point to it," Lief said, keeping his gaze on her.

The wild girl nodded in reply before turning to the small animal on her shoulder, "Are you hungry, Filli?" The creature squeaked in response and began jumping up and down in excitement. Jasmine called to the black bird flying above them faithfully, who fluttered down and perched on her arm, and they continued on the path in search of food.

Several minutes later, Jasmine noticed another market stand set up in front of a low wooden building. It was a bakery, judging from the flour-dusted windows. "Lief," she called, looking up at him, "let us purchase some bread from the baker's stall!" The boy nodded wordlessly, feeling quite famished himself, and grinned in amusement as she let go of his hand and quickened her pace to stand in front of the stall.

Having caught up to his wife, Lief could see the slightly widened eyes of the baker at seeing the king and queen grace his market stand. "Your Majesties," the baker greeted, bowing his head in respect, "I am humbled by your presence. Please, what is mine is yours." He gestured to his stall, the rows of freshly baked bread and brightly colored miniature cakes sitting pristinely in intricately woven baskets. Lief smirked slightly at the sharp intake of breath of the girl beside him, as the enticing aroma hit their senses.

"We would like one loaf of your bread, please," Jasmine said with a smile, pointing to the item. The man inclined his head in reply and grabbed a loaf from the basket, handing it to her.

The baker noticed Lief digging into his pockets to pull out a silver coin, and quickly shook his head. "I cannot accept payment from you, Your Majesty," he said sheepishly. "You rescued my wife from the Shadowlands some years back; please, take this with my eternal gratitude." Lief and Jasmine both bowed to the baker and thanked him with a smile before leaving, their hearts very full. It was nice to feel the appreciation for their sacrifices sometimes.

They continued down the worn stretch of road, sharing the large loaf as they walked and conversed idly to one another. The bread was still warm and soft, melting slightly in their mouths as they ate. Jasmine occasionally broke off small pieces of the bread to feed Filli and Kree, who enjoyed the treats immensely.

A short while later, they finally arrived at the section Jasmine enjoyed the most: the fruits market. Lief knew she rarely ate meat, and only in times of absolute desperation, but he still adored how her emerald eyes lit up at seeing the various fruits and berries scattered haphazardly across the stalls. The vendors here were, for some reason, much louder than those in other sections of the market; they shouted their prices and praised the quality of their merchandise at the top of their lungs. Some even made ludicrous claims about the supposed medical miracles their fruits could produce.

Finding the fruits market to be not particularly exciting, Lief allowed Jasmine to explore ahead on her own with Filli and Kree. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed one of the stands was selling some small red berries, which Lief recognized as Jasmine's favorites. The boy strode over to the merchant and purchased a small pouch of the berries; unlike the baker, the fruit trader had been more than happy to accept the young king's money. Noticing his wife standing some distance away watching him, Lief quickened his pace to catch up and slipped her small hand back in his.

Upon his return, Jasmine cocked her head to one side and looked up at him. "What did you purchase, Lief?" she asked curiously.

"Just a little gift for Kree and Filli," he replied with a smirk, reaching into the small pouch and producing a handful of the small fruits. At the sight of the delicious berries, the two animals jumped from Jasmine's shoulders onto Lief's and began nibbling at his hand.

"What about me?" the girl demanded as Lief had expected she would.

Wordlessly, he picked up a berry and leaned down to hold it in front of Jasmine's lips. "Come on, Jasmine," he urged softly, "open wide!" At this, she huffed indignantly and quickly snatched the berry from his fingers, popping it into her mouth herself. Lief burst out in laughter, clutching his stomach as Jasmine muttered irritably about childish kings with small mental capacities.

Continuing their journey hand in hand, the young rulers were met with many enthusiastic waves by the locals, and they both waved back in polite reply as they passed. The populace adored their king, that much was certain. After all, in the public's eye, he embodied the Deltoran virtues of a true hero: courageous, selfless, and kind. And while they had initially been skeptical in his choice of bride, the people had also grown quite fond of their queen, a heroine in her own right. They knew the happiness and freedom they now enjoyed was owed much to the quick wit and steadfast determination of Jasmine as well.

A stall in the near distance soon caught the couple's attention. This stand contrasted wildly with the other fruit stalls, and stood in a secluded corner a small distance away from the crowd of market-goers. Unlike the brightly colored tents and coverings the other stands in the fruits market employed, this unfamiliar stall stood bare, its wooden planks showing considerable signs of aging. In the back of his mind, Lief found it odd that none of the other passerbys ever stopped to examine this particular vendor's wares.

Intrigued, Jasmine walked up to the stall and glanced at the variety of fruit that was laid out. To her surprise, she recognized none of them. Lief stopped beside her, Kree and Filli still perched on his shoulders, and also stared at the strange, exotic fruits.

"To what do I owe the honor of having the King and Queen of Deltora at my modest stall?" croaked an elderly voice. Lief and Jasmine jumped slightly and turned toward the sound. The voice belonged to a short, frail old man; his greying hair which trailed into a long beard was hidden along with most of his body under a thick, dark green cloak. His pale face was etched with wrinkles that further hinted at his old age, and his beady eyes were bloodshot and slightly yellowed.

"We were admiring your produce," Lief answered, having recovered from his initial surprise. "They do not appear to be akin to any fruit I have seen before here in Del."

"Ahh, that is because _these_ are not of Deltoran soil at all," the old man explained in a foreign accent, gesturing to the fruit in front of him.

"Where are they from?" Jasmine asked in curiosity.

"They are native to the island of Dorne, as am I," the merchant replied. "My name is Attor." He extended out a sickly pruned hand, which Lief shook with slight hesitation.

Jasmine, meanwhile, was quite interested by the man called Attor. She had heard of Dorne as Lief had played host to a representative from that land sometime before. As of now, little was known about the island, other than that it was situated a small ways east of Deltora in the Sea of Serpents. Relations between the two lands were relatively new and fragile; the merchant must have been one of the first few from his nation to travel to Deltora.

Suddenly, the old man reached below the stand and held up a small green fruit that was oval in shape. An unpleasant aroma emanated from its pale skin, and both Filli and Kree reared back in disgust. The merchant then turned towards Jasmine and held it out to her, "My Lady, I had been hoping I would have the pleasure of meeting you soon, but as it is, you have saved me the trouble of requesting your audience. Please accept this gift as a gesture of friendship from the people of Dorne." At this, Jasmine stared at the aging man in bewilderment, but took the fruit nonetheless.

Seeing her confusion, the elderly merchant continued, his eyes gleaming, "It is the fruit of a tree known as the Chial. In Dorne, the fruit is sacred and often reserved for female ritual occasions only." Jasmine cocked her head in curiosity as she examined the fleshy round object in her small hand.

"Does it taste as strong as it smells, Attor?" asked Lief, grimacing as he glanced at the green fruit. For a moment, the young king felt a dull warmth around his waist, but dismissed it as his stomach's rather rude reaction to the strange odor.

Attor shook his head in reply to Lief's question. "As I said, the Chial fruit is reserved for female rituals and it is forbidden for men to consume any, and so I cannot answer with certainty. It is said to cure hunger pains with just one bite, but I have heard it carries a slightly bitter taste."

Jasmine gave her husband a perplexed look, to which he shrugged in reply, before she turned back to the merchant. "What sort of female rituals do you speak of?"

Attor's wrinkled face twisted into a nonchalant expression. "Dorne women who have trouble conceiving often consume this fruit," he replied indifferently. "It gives them much peace when they do so." At this, Jasmine's emerald eyes widened slightly. Attor had said the fruit was a gift; did this foreigner know about her own troubles in producing an heir to the Belt of Deltora? From the corner of her eye, the young girl saw Lief shift around uncomfortably.

Fearful his beloved wife would become unhappy at the mention of infertility issues, the boy straightened and faced the merchant, wanting desperately at this point to leave. "We are thankful for your gift, Attor. Please pass on our gratitude to the people of Dorne," Lief said politely.

"Certainly," the old man smiled, revealing a grisly set of yellow, slightly pointed teeth, the sight of which made Lief shudder. Attor then turned towards Jasmine and grabbed her arm which held the Chial fruit and pushed it closer to her mouth. "Go on, Your Majesty," he urged in his guttural accent, "I value your opinion on its exquisite taste..."

Kree squawked loudly in protest at the man's actions. The girl herself was tempted to take a bite just so Attor would release her arm, but still felt quite full from the bread and berries from earlier, and in any case did not appreciate being pushed to do anything by anyone. "I believe I shall save it for another time as I am not very hungry at the moment," Jasmine said haughtily while slyly slipping her arm out of the merchant's hold.

A flash of disappointment flickered across the old man's still smiling face, but it disappeared just as quickly. "Of course," he replied, bowing his head, "my apologies. Is there anything else you would like to purchase by the by?"

Lief shook his head, thankful for this chance to escape. "We are quite alright, Attor, thank you," he said courteously. "It was a pleasure to meet you." He and Jasmine bowed slightly in farewell, before turning to leave.

"The pleasure was all mine," Attor croaked softly as he watched the couple walk away.


	2. Treachery

**Disclaimer:** All recognizable characters are the creative property of Emily Rodda.

By now, the once-blue sky had slowly melted into a beautiful blend of pink and orange. The early stages of twilight had settled, and dusk was now beginning to set in. Lief and Jasmine wandered slowly back home in companionable silence, with Kree taking his usual position above them and Filli perched on the girl's shoulder. Their feet trod silently on the cobblestone road leading to the Palace Hill, which snaked through the inner city. Passing by several wooden houses and shops, the couple could see the people of Del giving their farewells of the day as they retired home for supper and a good night's rest.

As she walked, Jasmine held the small pale fruit she carried out in front of her and studied it, her elfin face scrunching up slightly in deep thought. Even after she had found room in her stomach to eat the fruit, she quickly found she was much too repulsed by its offensive odor to even attempt a bite. Jasmine had offered it to Lief instead, asking him to tell her how it tasted, but he had quickly shook his head, claiming he did not want to offend the Dorne people's tradition of not allowing males to consume it. Even Filli and Kree refused to taste the fruit, put off by its strong stench.

What was this Chial fruit exactly? The old man, Attor, had been quite anxious for Jasmine to taste the strange gift. Was he trying to help her with her own insecurities? Thus far, her inability to conceive with Lief had weighed heavily on her mind for several months. And although they did not fight as much as they had when they were first married, Jasmine was aware the ever-increasing pressure for Lief to produce an heir to the Belt continued to take a strenuous toll on the boy.

It seemed the people of Deltora, or more specifically, the noble families of Del did not particularly like the idea that a Palace Librarian and her husband, who was a former thief, were becoming ever more likely their next rulers. The fact that Lief's heir presumptive, Marilen, had already given birth to little Josef further concerned the nobles. Adin help them should a _full-blooded_ Toran ever take the throne.

Jasmine knew, despite his best attempts, that Lief always tried to hide this political turmoil from her, worried she would be upset. And while she thought this sentiment touching, Jasmine could not help but feel somewhat relieved she was not yet expecting. Lief believed her nulliparity hurt her because she wanted a child with him. In truth, Jasmine believed it was more because she felt she had failed in her duties as queen, though she would never tell this to Lief... at least not yet.

She was well aware he had been quite excited at the prospect of becoming a father, and the disappointment that flickered across his face each time cut her to the core. But Jasmine was not yet ready to become a mother; how could she bring a child into this world of polite mannerisms and frivolous dress when she was only beginning to understand it herself?

_Everyone seems to be having children these days_, Jasmine mused to herself. _Even Barda and Lindal have started a family_. Indeed, the former Captain of the Palace Guards known as Barda had recently celebrated the arrival of his firstborn son with his wife. Both Jasmine and Lief missed their close friend dearly, but knew Barda was needed elsewhere in Broome with Lindal.

Lief had noticed out of the corner of his eye that Jasmine was engrossed in her own thoughts, and he wisely kept silent. He knew better than to interrupt her concentration, although he could guess what she was thinking about. The boy gave her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze and she smiled faintly in return.

As the last drops of sunset faded from the horizon, the air took on a chilling temperature. Dark clouds soon began rolling into the sky, blocking the moon and the stars from view. They quickened their pace, anxious to return home before the impending storm began, and had been traveling for quite some time before they noticed a huddled shape sitting on the edge of the empty worn stone street.

"Jasmine, look," Lief called to his wife, who snapped quickly out of her own thoughts.

As they neared, the shape took form and Lief recognized it as a person. It was a light-skinned man, who was thin beyond words and seemed to be middle-aged. His clothes were tattered, with stretches and holes peppered around the fabric, and a dark shawl was tightly wrapped around his slim shoulders. Greying patches of short black hair caked with mud appeared sporadically as an untrimmed beard on his face.

Lief realized with a small pang in his chest that the man was homeless. Despite the young king's best efforts, poverty remained an ever present thorn in Deltora's side. Many were still struggling to recover from the effects of the Shadow Lord's long rule, and had little to nothing to their name. Lief allowed a moment's thought to recall how he had once looked down on beggars, namely Barda in his disguise. The boy quickly shook his head, disgusted with his past self; he was a much different person now.

He glanced at the now thundering clouds overhead before turning to his wife. "We must get him inside before it begins to rain."

Jasmine nodded in silent agreement, a determined expression on her face, and called Kree down from the dark sky. Like Lief, she too was a much different person than when he had first met her in the Forests of Silence. While she would not have given this homeless man a second glance then, Jasmine's position as queen consort had taught her compassion and understanding for her subjects.

They took off, racing towards the shivering man, their boots clomping loudly on the cobble path. As they approached him, Jasmine noticed his eyes were closed as his body shook from the cold, bitter wind. It seemed the man did not notice their arrival.

The girl stopped and kneeled in front of him, "Hello? Are you alright?" The homeless man showed no signs of having heard her, but several moments later opened his eyes to the sight of the king and queen in front of him. The man's eyes shone with confusion before widening slightly as he began to recognize them. Jasmine meanwhile swiveled her head around to glance at their surroundings. "Lief, there are no buildings nearby. It may just be simpler to take him with us for now."

Lief agreed, and turned his attention to the thin man. "It is not safe for you to stay out here in the storm," Lief began, offering his hand. "Come with us to the Palace; we were just on our way there."

Wordlessly, the beggar nodded to show he understood and weakly grabbed Lief's outstretched hand. The young king gently pulled the man up and placed the beggar's thin arm around his neck while Jasmine tucked the Chial fruit under one arm and supported him with the other. Together, the two quickly aided the impoverished man and began making their way steadily to the Palace Hill.

Mother Nature, however, was without remorse. Barely half an hour into walking, the trio found the beginning downpour of rain to be impassable. Not wanting to become ill, Jasmine hurriedly pointed to a nearby oak tree to use as a shelter and they gently laid the man on the grass. They could do nothing now but wait for the storm to pass.

Despite her protests, Lief had wrapped his cloak around Jasmine to keep her from becoming cold; Kree and Filli joined her and they huddled together to keep warm. As the group sat in silence, waiting for the rain to stop, the homeless beggar opened his mouth weakly several times, attempting to speak, but finding he could not.

Jasmine, having noticed this, took the fruit from under her arm and held it out to the man. "Here," she said softly, turning to him, "this will help you regain the strength you need." The vagabond tentatively accepted the fruit from her and took a sniff at the object, recoiling slightly in response to its putrid odor. Nevertheless, he proceeded to take a small bite out of its pale green flesh, juice dribbling down his ragged chin.

Remembering the other two people that were with him, he offered the fruit back to Jasmine, who shook her head. "You need it more," she explained with a slight smile. The man smiled in return and continued ravenously eating the Chial fruit until nothing was left except a small brown seed. Lief looked on with a smile of his own, proud that Jasmine was being so thoughtful.

Finally, after a long silence save the relentless patter of rain, the storm began to dissipate. With the last drops of water having ceased to fall completely, the Lief and Jasmine began making ready to head out and helped the man up on his feet once more. Suddenly, however, the beggar collapsed back on the ground, clutching at his heart with both his hands. His face twisted into an expression of agony, gasping in pain several times, but no sound escaped his mouth.

Jasmine gave a shout of shock and quickly dropped down to help him. The man looked at the seed still in his hand with widened eyes before staring at her for a split second. Almost immediately after, he clutched his chest once more and struggled against Jasmine's touch.

Lief turned upon hearing the commotion and quickly kneeled down next to them. "What happened!?"

"I do not know, but he is not breathing!" Jasmine cried. "Lief! The Belt, make haste!"

The young king cursed at himself for being slow-witted before hurrying to unclasp the Belt of Deltora from around his waist. The man, however, had already stilled by then, his eyes glazed over in lifelessness with his hand still clasped over his chest. Lief took one look at the body and felt sick, he had not been quick enough. Kree fluttered around helplessly as Filli buried himself in Jasmine's hair.

"How did this happen?" the green-eyed girl murmured after several minutes of stunned silence. The beggar had been fine moments before! Did he have some seizure from the shock of the thunder? Jasmine's mouth set in a thin hard line as she examined the man's now motionless face which stared emptily in return.

Lief glanced at the Belt which he still held and his eyes narrowed; the Emerald was pale. How had he not noticed it before? "Poison," he whispered softly. "That fruit you gave him, Jasmine, it must have killed him."

"That snake," Jasmine growled, referring to the merchant, Attor. "He was trying to poison _me_." The old trader had insisted she eat the fruit several times over, and now she understood why. Attor had wanted her dead.

The boy slipped his wife's small hand in his and squeezed it gently, as if it were a lifeline. "It certainly seems that way, but we must go back and find him; he will have the answers we seek."

Jasmine looked up at him and nodded in determination. They deftly created a makeshift shallow hole and buried the beggar in it, a wave of grief and sadness washing over both of them; they had not even gotten the opportunity to learn his name. The man did nothing to deserve this fate, but had unknowingly saved the queen's life in the process. Lief wrote a short, coded message to Doom detailing briefly what had occurred and sent Kree to deliver it.

Moments later, they were on their way once more, racing across the now wet stone street back to the marketplace in pursuit of the man called Attor. Their boots squished through the muddy path as they ran back to where the fruit stand had been set up, determined not to let the beggar's sacrifice be wasted in vain. If there was an assassin in Deltora, it would be impertinent that they catch him with all haste.

The sky overhead had cleared considerably with the storm's end, and the moon now shone in all its glory alongside the stars. Lief and Jasmine had returned to a market center which was now unsurprisingly void of all life. Most of the crowd had dissipated when the first droplets of rain had begun falling; opting to take cover inside their homes. The two companions moved hurriedly, weaving through the dark roads and passing the now empty, unmanned market stalls.

Lief turned the next corner quickly with Jasmine close behind, expecting to find the aged wooden stall they had stood at merely hours before. However, the young king froze at the sight that greeted him and hearing the sharp intake of breath from the girl beside him confirmed that he was not imagining what he saw: Attor and his market stand were gone.


	3. Endanger

**Disclaimer:** All recognizable characters are the creative property of Emily Rodda. Note that this chapter, and those that follow, contain slight spoilers for several books in the _Deltora Quest_ series.

"So you are saying he simply vanished?" Doom asked incredulously. "But how can that even be?" Needless to say, Jasmine's father had not been too pleased at hearing the report on the merchant's disappearance and the homeless man's unfortunate death.

"We do not know, Doom," Lief replied. "All we are sure of is that the fruit Attor gave Jasmine had either been poisoned, or is by nature poisonous. When we returned to confront him, he was gone." Indeed, both Lief and Jasmine had been quite shocked to see the aging market stand missing, as if it had never been there to begin with. They had searched for hours on end afterwards, hoping to catch the potential murderer, but to no avail and returned home to the anxious embrace of a much-worried Sharn.

The four of them now stood in the entrance hall of the grand Palace as Lief filled in the missing details from his letter to Doom. The low-burning torches emitted a soft glow along the stone walls, bathing the room in orange light. Their shadows flickered with the flames while the moonlight outside the open windows illuminated the hallway.

"No doubt he is still lurking within Del," Doom murmured, more to himself than anything else. He turned towards his daughter with a disapproving expression, "_You_ need to be more careful about what gifts to accept, either one of you could have eaten that fruit instead."

Jasmine reeled back and scowled, her infamously short temper showing. She opened her mouth to retort, but was cut off by Lief, who had quickly moved to stand in front of her with his arms extended as if to shield her from harm. "_Jasmine_ is not the one at fault here," he began. "The Chial fruit is foreign to Deltora, and neither of us recognized it. If anything, _I_ should have been more aware that the Emerald had dulled." Doom furrowed his eyebrows at this, surprised that the boy was being so defensive of her.

"We were merely concerned about the two of you, Lief," interrupted Sharn, who sighed heavily in exasperation at having to mediate another disagreement. It had become common knowledge among the Deltorans that King Lief was fiercely protective of his wild girl companion, and that he was sometimes at odds with her father, who also happened to be the young king's advisor. Rumors and Palace gossip abounded about the potential source of these disagreements, but in truth, it was simply because Lief still had trouble understanding Doom's strange and complex relationship with his daughter.

"In any case," Jasmine said impatiently, "we must find this Attor person with all haste!" Lief slowly lowered his outstretched arms as he realized she was right; they needed to capture this menace as soon as possible. Who knew how many more such merchants were out there?

"I will send a message to Barda," Lief said. "He will now how to best dispatch the guards to help find Attor."

"And I will issue a warrant for his arrest," Doom declared. "I do not know if this was their intention, but it seems we can no longer trust the people of Dorne." Lief nodded in agreement. He knew the relations between Deltora and Dorne, fragile as they were, would be badly damaged when news of the incident spread.

"I must admit, however," the man added with a glance, "I find it unusual they would target Jasmine and not you, Lief." At this, the boy stilled.

"It was bound to happen at one point or another," Jasmine said nonchalantly with a shrug. "What is important is that neither of us were harmed."

Doom, not quite finished scolding his daughter, looked about to respond to her indifference, but Sharn quickly shushed him with a wave of her delicate hand; she had had quite enough for one day. "It is late, and you both must be very tired," she said, glaring at the man. "We will discuss this another time."

The man growled a low sigh and raised his hands in surrender. "Fine, but remember this: you and Lief must become more cautious; you _both_ carry the responsibilities of the kingdom now."

Jasmine nodded in understanding, and turned to her husband, who still stood unmoving and appeared deep in thought with a slightly paled face. "Lief?" she called. "What is wrong?" Upon hearing her voice, he quickly snapped his head up and was met with the concerned gazes of the other three people in the entrance hall.

"Nothing, Jasmine... I am merely... weary," he replied, shaking his head and holding out his hand. "Let us go to bed."

The black-haired girl raised an eyebrow in disbelief, but took his hand nonetheless, bidding Sharn and her father good night, and allowed him to lead her to their bedchambers. If it was something important, Lief would surely inform her later.

* * *

That night, Lief lay in the bed he shared with Jasmine, his eyes wide open and staring at the painted ceiling. The room was cold and dark, and the small sliver of moonlight streaming in from the windows cast an eerie glow on every corner. Despite it being well past midnight, the boy found sleep to be an impossible task. The events of the day weighed heavily on his mind as he replayed them over and over again in his head.

Lief turned slightly and gazed at his wife's sleeping form beside him, allowing his thoughts to wander for a moment. Despite nearing their first full year of marriage, the young king still found it fascinating how Jasmine could look so beautifully different while she slept. Her small elfin face showed none of the fiery passion and stubbornness that she exhibited when awake; instead, she looked serene and at peace, her mouth slightly agape. Her chest rose and fell softly as she dreamt, and even her wild black hair seemed to be slumbering as it flared softly all over the pillow.

At once, a comforting warmth began spreading across Lief's body from his waist. He glanced down at the Belt, identifying the source as the Diamond. By now, this no longer surprised him; he had grown quite accustomed to the great gem emanating a soothing warmth whenever he admired Jasmine.

Soon, however, his mind became troubled once more as he recalled Doom's words: _I find it unusual they would target Jasmine and not you, Lief_, he had said. And indeed, it _was_ quite unusual. Before they had freed the slaves from the Shadowlands, there had been several attempts on Lief's life, most of which were by disillusioned puppets of the Shadow Lord himself. And while the attempts became fewer and farther in between afterwards, it was still always _his_ head which was the end goal. Not once had any of the plots ever targeted _Jasmine_, save the Shadow Lord's own rather successful plan to use her as bait.

He had not known it then, but Jasmine had always been Lief's true weakness, a fact once exploited by the Enemy. He was more than willing to give up everything for her, and this sentiment often made Doom fearful that Lief would choose the wild girl over the Belt in a critical time.

Even when he still believed he was the son of a blacksmith, Lief had always felt the urge to shield Jasmine from harm, having sworn to himself that he would never let anything happen to her. He knew she did not need him to protect her, yet he was still convinced he had to do everything within his power to keep her safe. Especially now when, as King and Queen of Deltora, peril lurked just around the corner.

His heart ached as he recalled how close she had been to being poisoned as well. The young king had been aware of the danger it posed in having taken Jasmine as a wife; however, the reality of the risk she faced had never really occurred to him until that afternoon with the Chial fruit.

The boy's eyes widened as a sudden realization hit him full force: it was his _love_ for the girl beside him that worked against what he had always sworn to do. He had vowed to keep danger away from her, but in truth it was he himself who brought the danger to her. It mattered not to his enemies whether he was married to Jasmine; his obvious captivation with her was enough.

_Do I cause more harm to her than good?_ Lief wondered as he stared at his wife. In her arms, she clutched Kree and Filli, both fast asleep. After the events of today, they had refused steadfastly to sleep in their usual nest beside the nightstand, not wanting to be even a short distance away from her. Lief had always admired how they treated one another like a makeshift family and, though both her animal companions had grown quite fond of him, he knew he could never truly be a part of it.

The bond she shared with them was much different than the one she shared with him, and he knew she would just as quickly give her life for them as they would for her. He smiled sadly, _Kree and Filli have never caused her as much grief as I have._

Now that Lief thought about it, almost every tragedy in Jasmine's life was in some way connected to him. Indeed, it was because of him that she grew up in the dangerous Forests of Silence and that her parents were taken to the Shadowlands, leaving her to fend for herself at a tender age; and it was because of him that she lost her mother, Anna, and now had a complicated relationship with her father. The boy's chest tightened at the thought that she would have likely had a normal childhood if it were not for him.

Lief loved Jasmine, surely, and he treasured her above all else. Yet he could not help but wonder if she would be better off without him. The thought made him sick to his stomach. He certainly did not want to believe it; he wanted to imagine that Jasmine needed him as much as he needed her. Indeed, there was nothing the young boy feared more than the possibility of his beloved wife running back to the trees of her home. But now, it seemed that Jasmine leaving him might be for the best; at the very least, she would be happier than she was now, living within the grey stone walls she despised so much.

He glanced at the small scar on Jasmine's bare shoulder, recalling how she had been struck there by Jin's axe and pushed into the quicksand on their journey to find the Ruby. While it normally did not bother him, there were times when he absolutely hated the scar, for it reminded him of another instance in which he had been close to losing her. And there it stayed now in the open moonlight, mocking him with what could have been.

Lief's dark eyes glazed with unshed tears as his mind began to wander to all the times in which Jasmine had almost lost her life for him, from being shot by the arrow tipped with Gellick's venom to having disappeared in the tower of Shadowgate. And still, despite these sacrifices, the wild girl had never once hesitated to save Lief from certain death, as she had done countless times.

He turned away quickly, his face burning with shame and guilt. He could not bear to face her now. _I have done nothing but endanger her_, he thought woefully. _I was a fool to believe I could marry for love._ It was no doubt time, he decided, to put Jasmine's best interests in mind before his own. It seemed Marilen would have to continue being his heir after all.


	4. Just Formalities

**Disclaimer:** All recognizable characters are the creative property of Emily Rodda.

Though he was now retired, Barda had still arrived in Del sometime back to lead the search effort for Attor, leaving Lindal behind in Broome to care for their infant son. Several weeks had passed since the incident with the mysterious Chial fruit and with Barda's help, the Palace Guards had quickly apprehended the merchant responsible, having found him hiding on a trade ship bound for Dorne. Doom had subsequently ordered him to be deported back to his native land to face trial for his murder and attempted assassination.

Despite this turn of events, the Palace was anything but joyful; instead, it was filled with silent tension and guarded expressions. It was happening all over again, and everyone could see it: the king was once more avoiding Jasmine.

At first, the girl had not noticed, thinking it normal that he had suddenly become so busy. But after a while, she had become confused and worried, asking him if she had done something wrong. Lief had fought with himself not to laugh aloud at such a ludicrous thought, but politely reassured her it was not so. Slowly but surely the boy could see she was beginning to realize he was purposely choosing not to see her for reasons unknown.

Lief thanked Adin that Barda and the others had been too preoccupied with finding Attor to notice how he was treating Jasmine; he did not think he could bear their disapproving glares. It hurt him, but Lief knew this was something that had to be done; he had convinced himself that the best way to keep her safe was to make her want to leave and never return. Yet he had not the heart to actively push her away; no, Jasmine would have to leave on her own accord.

She was hurting as well, that much was obvious, despite the fact she held her head high. It was not as if Lief yelled at Jasmine or was rude; rather, he no longer went out of his way to speak or spend time with her. He took on a more courteous and formal stance, and did not confide in the companionable warmth they once shared. However, Jasmine had not initially understood why Lief was suddenly behaving in such a way, and actively sought to get him to explain.

The flash of anger that spread across her face each time he brushed her off did not escape his notice, and eventually Jasmine stopped attempting to make conversation with him altogether, which surprised Lief. He had half expected her to yell at him for being so secluded, or something to that effect. Instead, the girl merely turned cold and did not speak to him in turn.

At one point, Lief had inadvertently met Jasmine in a hallway and, not wanting to appear as if something was wrong, politely smiled and greeted her with a good morning. The boy was stunned when she merely passed by him without a glance and replied with a snide, "Good morning, Your Majesty." Why had she addressed him as such? Had she forgotten that she still held a position of equal authority as he did?

Jasmine had never spoken so _formally_ to him, and in truth, it frightened him that his relationship with her was crumbling so quickly. Ideally, he had only wanted her to be angry enough to want to return to the Forests of Silence, but not so much, if he could help it, that she would not want to still be friends with him at the very least. Lief did not know whether to be happy that his plan was working, or upset that it was working so well.

Indeed, the boy had nearly given in the first night he had returned to the bedchambers they shared, only to find it empty. Panic had splashed across his youthful face as he raced through the Palace, attempting to locate his wife. His heart broke when he discovered that Jasmine was not in any danger as he had originally believed; instead she was fast asleep, hugging Kree and Filli to her chest in her old chambers in which she had stayed before they were married.

Lief did not understand why it cut him so deeply each night to find her not in their bed. This was what he had wanted, was it not? Although she had not left like he had expected, it at least appeared as though she would soon.

Deep down, however, Lief was secretly quite happy and relieved that Jasmine had not yet gone back to the Forests, though he knew this was selfish. He had steeled himself to brave the unavoidable grief that would come when she did decide to, but found he was unsure whether he could take it. He had experienced living without Jasmine for a time before, and as far as he could recall, it was not pleasant.

Sharn had been the first to suspect that all was not well between the two, having noticed the now frequently empty seat beside her son at mealtimes, and it did not take long for the rest of the Palace to also notice how estranged the royal couple seemed to be lately. As he had expected, Lief soon began receiving disapproving glares, particularly from Marilen, Jasmine's closest female friend, and his mother. Even Kree and Filli had begun to shun him.

Rumors and Palace gossip soon arose once more and spread to the city like wildfire. Some speculated that the queen was heavily pregnant at last, and that her sudden coldness was the result of the mood swings that were sure to be involved. However, those who saw Jasmine's still slim body knew such tales were anything but true. Still others drew the conclusion that either one of the two monarchs were having an affair, or perhaps even both.

As he was close to the both of them, many had questioned Barda about the situation inside the Palace walls while he had patrolled the streets with Doom in search of the wanted merchant. The man had blatantly refused to answer any of them, claiming he had no interest in the youths' hotheaded relationship.

Truth be told, however, Barda was becoming increasingly worried, despite being unaware of Lief's plans and motives. Stubborn and young as they were, Lief and Jasmine were still his two closest friends, and he had no intention of seeing them fall apart. Finding Attor had been troubling enough without the thick tension that could be felt within the Palace.

Nevertheless, Lief's seclusion had made it difficult for Barda to question him, and seeing Sharn pinch the bridge of her nose in exasperation during meals reassured the man that he was not alone in his frustration.

Finally, the retired captain took it upon himself to confront Lief in his study. Bursting through the door without knocking, he startled the young king who quickly stood up. "Barda," Lief greeted solemnly. "What news do you bring?"

"This has gone on long enough, Lief," the man replied, ignoring his question altogether. Lief's face visibly darkened, and he glanced away.

"I do not know what you mean, old friend."

"You know very well what I mean!" Barda insisted, before lowering his voice. "Why are you doing this to her?" A short silence followed as the king pondered this himself.

"Never you mind, Barda," Lief answered simply, his patience already beginning to wear thin.

The former captain chose his next words carefully. "Lief," he began slowly, "there have been... rumors around Del that you have not been faithful."

At this, Lief was taken aback, "That is ridiculous, Jasmine has always been the only one." His eyes narrowed slightly; did his people really think so lowly of him? If Jasmine had heard of such tales, it would no doubt explain why she still had yet to yell at him as he expected. He certainly hoped this was not the case, however.

"Then why are you doing this?" asked Barda, restating his question. At first, the king kept silent for several moments, refusing to answer.

"I am only doing what is best for her."

"What is best for her!?" the man repeated incredulously. "You do not even _speak_ to one another anymore, how could you possibly know what is best—"

"She almost died that day!" the boy interrupted loudly, clenching his fists. His pent up emotions from the weeks of loneliness had begun pouring out, and he did not intend to stop them. "They tried to kill her, Barda! Do you not understand? Jasmine cannot stay as my queen; I will not continue to endanger her for my own sake!"

With that, everything fell into place for the big man, and his expression turned into one of sympathy. "We have been over this before, Lief, she is quite capable of—"

"Taking care of herself," Lief finished. "Yes, I know. But that is just it, Barda! There is always the chance she will _not_ be able to, and what then?"

Barda did not know how to answer, and Lief sighed heavily, sitting down once more. He gestured to the man to take a seat in the chair nearby. Lief then turned and placed his chin in his hand, gazing out the window at the setting sun, which surrounded the crest of the Palace Hill on the horizon with an angelic, orange halo. The dimming brightness of the sunset contrasted sharply with the darkness of the room they were currently in. Lief's hazel brown eyes softened in melancholy at the beautiful sight; it was no wonder Jasmine preferred roaming outside to the stuffy Palace walls.

"Do you think she would have been happier if we had never met her?" he whispered.

"I cannot say," Barda replied, quite surprised at the boy's sudden change in topic. "But there is no use in pondering about what ifs, if you ask me." Lief nodded in silence, and did not say a word for several minutes.

"I am afraid, Barda," he admitted finally, a hint of grief in his voice. "I have always feared she would leave me to return home; but now, I fear she will be hurt _because_ of me if she continues to stay and I... I do not know what to think anymore."

"We know you mean well, but you are letting your head rule your heart," the man said carefully. "While she may be safer in the Forests, I am certain neither of you will be happy with the outcome. Do not make this mistake, Lief."

Another long moment of silence followed as Lief took in his friend's words. He did not deny that the past few weeks had become nothing but painful; Lief hated the awkward, tense barrier that had been raised between he and Jasmine, but he had consoled himself in thinking it was all for the best. Had he been going about this the wrong way?

"I would be a fool to believe she would even be happy to see me at this point," Lief muttered sadly.

"Go make peace with her then," Barda said, getting up to leave. "She is your wife, Lief, she will not be angry with you forever; do not make a habit of it though, she may not always forgive you." With that, the big man turned and stalked out of the study, leaving the boy alone to sort out his own thoughts.

Truthfully, Lief had been considering abandoning his plan for quite some time, even before Barda had confronted him. He knew he could not keep it up much longer if Jasmine did not leave soon, but for some unknown reason she had remained, not that he was complaining. Still, the young king was subconsciously glad to see that his wife was so loyal; whether that loyalty was due to him or her father, he did not know, but he admired it nonetheless.

The last slivers of sunlight were fading quickly away and night was soon falling. By now, Lief was well aware of the mistake he had made, or rather, the mistake he had _been_ making. He buried his face in his hands.

Lief knew he was an emotional person, but he had never expected this fact to lead him so astray. He was not sure what his wife thought of him anymore, if he could still call her that. Would she forgive him for treating her so poorly, when she deserved nothing but the best from him? Did she even still love him? Given her stubborn nature, he doubted it, but he knew he had to at least attempt to make things right between them.

As he slowly got up to go apologize to her, Lief smiled sadly to himself. It was ironic, just this morning he had been wanting her to leave, and now hours later, he found himself hoping she was still around to make peace with. If only he could figure out what to say to her.


	5. Berries for Me

**Disclaimer:** All recognizable characters are the creative property of Emily Rodda.

As she stalked to her chambers for some much needed rest, Jasmine could barely contain herself from lashing out in frustration. The pitying glances and sympathetic smiles were everywhere, and she absolutely loathed it. What in the world was so pathetic about her to warrant such pity?

By now, it was no secret that the talk and gossip of the Palace was the rapidly deteriorating marriage she had with the king, and quite frankly, she could not care less. Jasmine did not mind in the least letting them think what they wanted, but did they have to act as if she were some heartbroken damsel in need of comfort?

She was certainly hurt by Lief's obvious avoidance of her lately, but it was _her_ business, not theirs. She had only spoken to Marilen about it for Adin's sake, and now it seemed as if all her friends and family knew about Lief's alienation of her. Sharn and Barda had even taken it upon themselves to partake in her own sorrow. The girl huffed and clenched her fists, making a mental note to scold the Palace Librarian for her gossiping habits later.

She sighed as she continued down the well-trodden path to her old bedchambers. Filli, sensing her sadness, suddenly jumped from her shoulder onto the top of her head, interrupting her thoughts. Kree likewise fluttered down and gently nuzzled his beak onto the side of her neck in comfort.

"At least I have you two," she smiled softly as she walked. Jasmine was still unsure as to why Lief had suddenly started to evade her presence, but she had rationalized that it had begun shortly after the entire incident with that merchant from Dorne. At first, she had thought little about it; Lief _was_ the king after all. No doubt the episode with Attor had weighed heavily on his mind, and he needed to focus on finding the wanted man.

Thinking he required some space to gather his thoughts and actions, Jasmine had decided to temporarily move back into her old room to sleep, though she had unintentionally neglected to inform him. Be that as it may, it was not as if she ever saw him in the chambers they shared anymore. Indeed, for the past few weeks, Lief had gone to bed after she was already fast asleep, and woke before she did.

But then, Barda and her father had announced news of Attor's capture, and Jasmine had been quite relieved at this, believing Lief would return to his normal loving, cheerful self; she was sadly mistaken, however. In reality, the boy had became nothing more than a stranger to her and, despite her attempts, Lief had refused to explain his actions, always armed with an excuse to dismiss her questioning. It did not take long for the short-tempered girl to give up trying to approach him. If Lief wanted to act like a child, then so could she.

Jasmine had contemplated leaving him and returning to the Forests several times, but she so far had managed to convince herself otherwise; being queen for nearly a year had taught her patience, although it was quickly wearing thin. She was also aware that such an impulsive action could very likely cause unnecessary political turmoil throughout the kingdom, and she was not quite angry enough to risk that just yet.

Jasmine sighed again as she rounded a corner. She did not deny that she was lonely. Her friends and family did not seem to provide the same comforting warmth that Lief did. After the whole debacle with the Pirran Pipe and the Shadowlands, Lief had promised he would never again hide away from her; so why was he being so reserved now? Had the pressure to produce an heir finally broken him? No, she decided. Lief had said he was more than willing to let their unborn child come in its own time, though she suspected it was mostly because he rather enjoyed the process of trying_._

A sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach made Jasmine wonder if it was something else she had done, despite his reassurances that it was not. It appeared it was in some way connected to that Chial fruit from before. Was it that homeless man? Did Lief blame her for the beggar's death? But it was not her fault! How could she have known the fruit was poisonous when she did not even recognize it? As soon as she considered this, the guilt began to set in. However, she hurriedly dismissed it; if Lief wanted to be upset with her over something like that, then he was an even bigger fool than she thought.

As she neared her old bedchambers, her keen ears began picking up on a voice in the distance. This was strange; what business could anyone have with her at this time of night? Had a criminal broken into the Palace? Jasmine froze as the owner of the voice came into view: the intruder in question was Lief himself, and it seemed as if he was speaking to... her door? Arching an eyebrow in curiosity, Jasmine inched closer to pick up on Lief's apparently wistful conversation with the plank of wood.

"—just let me explain... please, Jasmine," he said softly to the door, his head hung. "I am sorry... for everything. It was wrong of me to treat you this way; I know you deserve better." The girl almost laughed out loud when she noticed he had paused, waiting for an answer from her. Little did he know the room was empty. Jasmine quickly turned her head to shush Kree and Filli who had begun squawking and chattering in vexation at the sight of him. She did not know how long he had been standing there making conversation with her door, but she was still interested as to why he had suddenly now decided to apologize to her.

"I beg of you, Jasmine," he pleaded sadly. "Will you not open the door and speak to me? I miss your voice... Life has been so dull around here lately." At this, the girl scoffed to herself and tossed her head indignantly; if anything, it was _his_ own fault that things were so miserable between them. She clenched her fists once more and began stalking towards him, intending to give him a piece of her mind; her patience had at last run out.

"Our marriage means the world to me, although I... I know it might seem otherwise right now," Lief whispered. Upon hearing the sincerity in his voice, Jasmine froze for a second time. "I hate when we are so distant with one another, and I realize this time it was my own doing and I just... I just want to make things right again."

At this point, Jasmine could clearly see the downcast expression plastered over Lief's youthful face. He then groaned in defeat and ran a hand down his face before turning to leave. She supposed he had given up on trying to coerce her to reply. However, noticing his wife stand a few meters down the hallway watching him with curious green eyes made him stop in his tracks.

"J-Jasmine!" he stammered. His face grew red from shock, but she could see the optimism beginning to refill his brown eyes. "I was beginning to think you had already left the Palace!"

Her eyebrow still raised, the girl folded her arms across her chest. She was touched by the words she had overheard, but nonetheless was not going to be so easily swayed by him. "No," she said slowly, "as it so happens, I was just about to go to bed."

"How long were you standing there?" he asked, an obvious hint of hope in his voice.

"Long enough to want you to get out of the way so that I may sleep in peace," Jasmine replied brusquely. Lief's face fell at the harshness of her tone as she moved around him at a brisk pace, reaching for the handle. Before she could turn it, however, she felt him gently place a hand on her shoulder.

"Jasmine, wait—" he began, before being interrupted by an agitated raven and a snarling Filli, both of whom had readied themselves to defend her. Lief recoiled his hand in surprise not expecting them to turn so rapidly against him. However, Jasmine quickly calmed them, murmuring soothing words to her treasured companions.

"He is not worth it," she said scornfully to them, purposely intending for Lief to hear. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the boy flinch slightly at this, as if having been struck across the face.

Jasmine then turned to him. "I have been asking you for weeks to explain, but you never seemed to have the time to," she grabbed the doorknob turned it, placing one foot through the threshold. "Now, it seems I do not have the time to listen."

Lief hastily grabbed her arm to stop her, much to the discontent of the two animals on her shoulder. Jasmine turned to look at him and a sudden sharp intake of breath could be heard coming from her mouth as she looked into his eyes. They swam with emotions, some unknown, and she could see the love, passion, and regret behind them.

"I almost lost you that day," he explained quietly, referring to Attor and the murderous fruit. She stilled at his abrupt change in subject and he continued in a soft voice, "I have always worried that you would be used against me, Jasmine, and it frightens me to know you will always be a target for our enemies. You mean so much to me, I-I am not sure what I would do if something were to happen to you."

Lief then lowered his head, refusing to meet her stare, and whispered, "I had thought that... if I could make you want to leave, it would keep you out of harm's way. Please understand, Jasmine, I only wanted you safe."

With that, everything began to make sense for the young queen. Lief had been _trying_ to upset her, in the hopes that she would return to the safety of the trees. If truth be told, much of Jasmine's frustration with Lief had all but dissipated at this point. But she was finally getting the answers she had been seeking and she knew she could not afford to let the opportunity go.

Realizing that he was not going to leave anytime soon, she muttered to Kree and Filli, instructing them to go on ahead into the room. And, throwing Lief one last warning glance, they obeyed and withdrew to their nest to slumber the night away.

Placing a hand on her hip, she turned to face the saddened boy, "I was well aware of the danger when I agreed to marry you, it is nothing I cannot handle on my own. The only one who has truly been hurting me is you, Lief."

"I know," he said, looking shamefaced down at her. "I am not asking for forgiveness, Jasmine, merely for another chance." She hesitated and glanced away, sadness filling her green eyes. Another chance? How many did he expect he was going to need?

Several tense moments of silence passed as she contemplated her decision; it was always painful to her when they fought, despite the fact that the arguments had lessened during the period prior to this incident. Their personalities and natures clashed consistently, and she was suddenly unsure whether she could continue to bear it. "But this will only happen again, will it not?" the girl spoke.

"No," Lief insisted resolutely, shaking his head. "Never again. I will never make this mistake again." Although she doubted it, the authority in his voice was difficult to ignore. He took her small hand in his and squeezed it comfortingly, looking into her eyes. "I was a fool to think you were my weakness; the truth is, you are my strength, Jasmine, and I need you here... by my side."

Tentatively, he closed his eyes and leaned down to brush his lips on her forehead. At this, Jasmine's remaining frustration melted away in an instant. She had always harbored a soft spot for that gesture, a fact which Lief often exploited whenever he wished to escape her anger.

"You know, Lief, that will eventually stop working at some point in time," she said softly a moment later. Hearing her, the boy opened his eyes to the most beautiful sight he could imagine: Jasmine stood before him, her eyes shining and a genuine smile on her face.

"But not this time?" he asked hopefully, knowing full well what she was talking about. The young girl rolled her eyes.

"Not this time."

And with that, he knew she had forgiven him. Lief grinned widely and pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face in her mass of tangled locks and inhaling deeply. He had missed the intoxicating, distinct scent of her hair. Jasmine, in turn, wrapped her arms around his neck and took comfort in his familiar warmth.

"I love you, Jasmine," Lief whispered softly. "That at least will never change." At this, her heart swelled and she smiled brightly at him, returning his embrace. Her insecurities and worries vanished with his words. "Will you not say it in return?" he teased playfully.

Jasmine rubbed her chin in mock consideration, "It depends. Will you purchase those red berries again for _me_ next time?" Lief blinked at the suddenly conditional love she held for him, and laughed loudly. He held up his index finger, signaling for her to wait for him, and quickly turned to run inside her chambers. In a few moments, he burst out of the room once more and scooped Jasmine up in his arms before taking off down the hallway, beaming from ear to ear.

She shrieked in surprise, and with a hint of delight, as Lief raced around a corner with Kree perched on his shoulder and Filli bouncing excitedly on his head. Jasmine, having noticed them, glared lightheartedly for their betrayal while they feigned innocent expressions in return. A promise for red berries was as good as an apology to them. The girl then frowned accusingly at Lief as she laid in his arms and he shrugged slightly, "They are much more compromising than you are, Jasmine."

"Where are you taking me, Lief?" she demanded, though not really complaining. The girl wrapped her arms around his neck once more, holding on for dear life as he ran.

"Why, to get some of those berries, of course!" he answered cheerfully, his mood having lifted dramatically.

"What? Now?" Jasmine asked in disbelief. "But it is almost midnight! The market will be closed!" Had he gone mad? Where was he going to find a fruit vendor at this hour?

"The Cooks are never too tired to fetch some," he replied with a wink.

As they turned the next corner, Lief carried Jasmine past several Palace workers and friends alike, and seeing the reunited couple run by in laughter and joy brought relief to their hearts. One in particular, a former Captain of the Palace Guards, let loose the bated breath he had held for some time as the young king passed. _Those two will surely be the death of me_, the big man mused to himself, shaking his head.


End file.
